The Nipian Saga III

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and parasitic insects of all ages, it is I, Catman, returning once again to this wonderfully lush litterbox planet that I am exploring. I have just returned here from the lab, as I needed to let Dr. Bob know that I was still alive so he wouldn't start questioning about my absence. I also needed to get some more equipment so I can date some of the structures that I found. In my last update, I mentioned that I think I found structures but I wasn't sure. I have since then verified that they are, indeed, old structures. I find more of them the farther inland I go, so at some point in time there was a civilization here. I'm going to start dating some of these structures and excavating them. I hope Dr. Bob will not be upset with me when he finds out what I'm doing. You'd think he would be happy that I'm actually trying to discover and not destroy, but I am using his equipment without asking; that in itself could get me in trouble. I have found what appear to be doorways, and one place that might have been a garden or a park. Everything is made from stone; very, very little metal was used. The way these structures are made reminds me of the way people made log cabins back on Earth. They're all carved and notched to fit just perfectly. There is a lot of erosion, so these ruins have been here for quite some time. I have found what appears to be a smaller structure away from the main group, and that's where I'm going to start the excavation. I do not want to disturb the main area until I know what I'm dealing with. I definitely don't want to destroy any artifacts that might be here. Who knows what could be buried below this sand?

I have also noticed a lot more plant life and wildlife around these structures; they tend to burrow under them and even in them. The nests that I have found have all been inside, completely away from and untouched by the outside elements. Those birds that I described in my last journal entry are very abundant in this area. I'm now thinking they are predators, because I have also discovered a mouse-like marsupial that lives within the stone of these structures. These little creatures remind me of a mix of a mouse with a kangaroo and a possum. Their movement is a combination of a hop and a gallop, and they can use their tails to grab a hold of things like branches or even some of the stone. I have witnessed these little guys eating some of the grass that comes out at night. The birds make their nest a little bit higher than I can get to right now, but I have found them around the structure, so I will try to climb up the one soon and see what might be hidden within them.  Unfortunately, other than these two creatures I have not found anything else so far.  I have found tracks, but not what is actually making them. I have found tracks that closely resemble Earth's sidewinder; I have yet to find any reptiles, but those tracks give me a little bit of hope that I will find some.

On a different note, I have found more of those big pawprints I found a couple weeks ago; this verifies that there is a big predator in this area. I have also found smaller pawprints, so there definitely is a family or pack somewhere nearby. I'm going to install some cameras on some trees to see if I can get images of these creatures so I can better identify them and maybe even find out where they're coming from. Knowing that these animals are here, I have put up some laser alarms around my camp, and I have also started building a more permanent shelter up in the trees. I've got it about 20 feet up, and when it's finally finished, I will start hauling all the equipment up to it. I have also found out that these giant trees very closely resemble the catnip the grows on Earth; I am going to climb to the canopy soon and get some of the leaves to try to verify this theory.

This whole adventure is getting extremely exciting. I honestly have not thought about blowing anything up since I found this place. Dr. Bob would be proud.

I am signing off for now.

Meow